What Can Be Done about Cyberbullying?

Targets should be encouraged to tell parents or a trusted adult. Targets should be encouraged to talk to someone at school such as a counselor, teacher, nurse, coach, or principal. Targets should be assured they do not have to deal with cyberbullying alone.

In order to secure evidence of cyberbullying for reporting purposes, targets should be encouraged to save all communications, including emails, posts, screenshots, and messages, and not to delete them.

Targets should be encouraged to report to social media sources any harassing comments, inappropriate photos or information, or fake profiles.\

Social media has been a source of bullying and conflicts that can carry over into the school setting and contribute to an emotionally or physically unsafe environment. When this occurs, school administrators are obligated to take action.

School administrators need to provide assistance to students who are bullied online.

By encouraging students not to share, “like,” or participate in online bullying.

By encouraging students to report the incident(s) to a trusted adult.

By encouraging students to reach out to targets of bullying and respond with positive support.

Online behavior through social media channels has been a growing source of bullying and conflicts that carry over into the school setting, which can contribute to an environment that can be emotionally or even physically unsafe. When this occurs school administrators are obligated to take disciplinary action.

Children often don't let anyone know that they are being bullied :

They are afraid to let anyone know.

Don't think it is bullying; they think it is normal behavior from their peers.

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place via electronic communications or digital devices such as cell phones, tablets, or computers. It is deliberate harassing, intimidating, shaming, or otherwise targeting another person via electronic devices. Cyberbullying is a serious act that has lasting consequences.

Cyberbullying commonly occurs on social media as: text messaging through devices; instant messaging through devices; email provider services; social media message features; diary sites; interactive games; online profiles; Apps; and more. With easy access and the prevalence of such media and digital forums, personal content can be viewed by strangers as well as acquaintances. Racism, intolerance, and fear can also play a role.

Cyberbullying has special aspects. It can be persistent, permanent, and/or hard to notice. When it is persistent, it can be difficult for students experiencing it to find relief. When the cyberbullying is posted online, it becomes publicly available and may lead to a negative online reputation impacting college admissions, employment, and other areas of life. Cyberbullying is harder to recognize since educators and parents may not overhear or see it taking place. Similar to acts of bullying, students may be reluctant to report cyberbullying due to humiliation or embarrassment.

Some types of online or electronic conduct are crimes. The underlying challenge to determining criminal acts is that cyberbullying can take many forms and can violate a number of disparate criminal statues dependent on the underlying content. As examples, but not an exhaustive list, statutory violations can include:

Identity Theft, Penal Code section 530.5; here the harasser assumes the identity of the victims and creates a social media page or communication that appears to come from the victim. This is also a violation of Penal Code section 529, false personation.

Unlawful recording, Penal Code section 632; here the harasser records the victim without their knowledge and posts the conversation.

Unfortunately, cyberbullying is not limited to a specified form of conduct. It’s only limit is that of the human imagination to cause harm and perpetrators are consistently adopting new technology and innovate techniques to accomplish their goals.

There are many roles a student can play when it comes to bullying. For example, they can be both a target of bullying and the instigator of bullying or they may witness bullying and even defend against bullying in some cases. This is important to note as studies have shown cases involving students who are both bullied and who bully others are often at a greater risk of having an unstable mental and physical state in their lifetime.

It is important to understand the difference between the roles of the target, the witness/bystander, and the perpetrator, and how a student can play different roles depending on the circumstances. Understanding these roles will help prevent bullying from occurring and help in reacting properly when it does occur.

Students Directly Involved in Bullying: A student is directly involved in bullying when they are the one who is bullying others or are the target of bullying. These students are often perceived as the only two individuals involved in the bullying situation.

Students Who Engage in Bullying Behavior: These are students engaging in bullying behavior toward their peers. There are many factors that contribute to this behavior, including: parenting styles, domestic violence in homes, siblings or peers who engage in bullying, tolerance in the community, and school climate, among many others. Often, these students require the support of educators to explain the consequences of bullying and to put an end to the inappropriate behavior. Adults should also address other challenges the student may be facing that are influencing their inappropriate behavior.

Students Who Are Bullied: These are students who are the target of bullying behavior. Some factors put students at greater risk of being bullied, such as low self-esteem, not being a member of a strong social group, being perceived as weak or different, and countless other factors. However, not all students with these characteristics are targets of bullying. Sometimes, these students may need a parent, teacher, school counselor, or coach to listen and focus on their needs, or they may need to be assured that bullying is not their fault and learn how to respond to being bullied.

Students Indirectly Involved in Bullying (Bystanders): A student might not be directly involved in bullying but they can often be affected by observing the behavior. Through witnessing bullying, a student may experience an increased likelihood of distress, school absenteeism or truancy, and depression throughout their lifetime. Therefore, it is it is important for each student to learn what to do when they witness bullying or other forms of abuse. Roles students play when they witness bullying include:

Students Who Assist: These are students who may not initiate the bullying or instigate the action, but serve as an "assistant" to their peers who are bullying others. These students may cheer the bullying behavior to continue and occasionally join in.

Students Who Reinforce: These are students who are not directly involved in the bullying behavior but who give the student who bullies an audience by standing by and watching. Oftentimes they will laugh or provide support for the individuals who are engaging in bullying. As a result, this frequently encourages the inappropriate behavior to continue.

Outsiders: These are students who are bystanders to the bullying but do not support the bullying behavior or in any way protect the student being bullied. They often watch what is going on but do not provide feedback about the situation for fear of taking sides. Nonetheless, by being an outsider and providing an audience to the student who bullies, this frequently encourages the bullying behavior to continue. Outsiders often want to help the individual who is being bullied, but do not know how or are fearful of getting involved because they do not want to experience retaliation.

Students Who Defend: These are students who actively console the student being bullied and may come to the student's defense either through verbal or physical means when bullying occurs.

Administrators should inform students that they have an important and urgent responsibility to alert appropriate adults when they witness bullying. Every situation and student is different. It is important that all students learn the dangerous outcomes that bullying presents and how they can help prevent it from happening in their everyday life.

Try Not to Label Students: When referring to students involved in bullying, do not categorize students as “bullies” or “victims.” These terms send the message that a student will be identified by these roles. As previously stated, students play multiple roles in different bullying situations over time. Peer pressure and school environment can also contribute to student behavior. Refer to those individuals involved as “the student who bullied,” “the student who was the target of bullying” or “the student who was both bullied and bullied others.”

How Can Cyberbullying Be Prevented?

Administrators, trusted adults, and parents can advise students

To never share passwords, personal data, or private photos online.

To think about what they are doing carefully before posting and by emphasizing that comments cannot be retracted once they are posted.

That personal information revealed on social media can be shared with anyone including parents, teachers, administrators, and potential employers. Students should never reveal information that would make them uncomfortable if the world had access to it.

To consider how it would feel receiving such comments before making comments about others online.

What Can Be Done about Cyberbullying?

Targets should be encouraged to tell parents or a trusted adult. Targets should be encouraged to talk to someone at school such as a counselor, teacher, nurse, coach, or principal. Targets should be assured they do not have to deal with cyberbullying alone.

In order to secure evidence of cyberbullying for reporting purposes, targets should be encouraged to save all communications, including emails, posts, screenshots, and messages, and not to delete them.

Targets should be encouraged to report to social media sources any harassing comments, inappropriate photos or information, or fake profiles.\

Social media has been a source of bullying and conflicts that can carry over into the school setting and contribute to an emotionally or physically unsafe environment. When this occurs, school administrators are obligated to take action.

School administrators need to provide assistance to students who are bullied online.

By encouraging students not to share, “like,” or participate in online bullying.

By encouraging students to report the incident(s) to a trusted adult.

By encouraging students to reach out to targets of bullying and respond with positive support.

Online behavior through social media channels has been a growing source of bullying and conflicts that carry over into the school setting, which can contribute to an environment that can be emotionally or even physically unsafe. When this occurs school administrators are obligated to take disciplinary action.

Bullying is an unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves an imbalance of real or perceived power between individuals with the intent to cause harm. Students who are the targets of bullying behavior and those who exhibit bullying behavior toward others may suffer serious, lasting consequences. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must include:

A Deliberate Act: To cause emotional or physical harm to another individual.

An Imbalance of Power: Those who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and vary in different situations, even if they involve the same people.

Repetition: Bullying behaviors that display more than one time or have the potential to happen more than once.

Verbal, Social/Psychological/Relational, and Physical are three types of bullying outlined by the federal government and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Cyberbullying can involve all three types of bullying and takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets, as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat and website. This type of bullying is becoming more prevalent every day. Examples include:

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LUSD has established a uniform complaint procedure (1312.3) for all relevant programs per 5 CCR § 4622 et seq . The district has a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of gender per Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX: Nondiscrimination.